Smartphones hold new options for marketing

The increasing popularity of smartphones is creating unique possibilities for marketers, those thinking about email marketing for business to business purposes have been told.

Jon Mew, director of mobile and operations at the Internet Advertising Bureau, said that smartphones and tablets, known collectively as mobile devices, could help advertisers make their message more engaging.

He said that the gadgets open up a new set of opportunities and possibilities for those already using email marketing for business to business reasons.

"Adverts can be location-based, with functionality like maps and 'find your nearest', you can have click-to-call functionality, you can embed video and brands can make their message more engaging and fun with adverts that can be shaken, tilted, touched and interacted with in a variety of new ways," Mr Mew suggested.

His comments about the importance of smartphones to organizations was confirmed by a Juniper Research report, which suggested that global smartphone shipments will reach one billion per annum in 2016, up from 302 million in 2010.